Julio Celis Allende awarded 2026 National Natural Sciences Prize

Biochemist Julio Enrique Celis Allende has been unanimously selected as the recipient of the 2026 National Natural Sciences Prize in Chile. The decision was announced during a discernment meeting led by the Minister of Education.

Celis is recognized for his international contributions to the development of proteomics, the study of a cell's protein sets. His research team was instrumental in creating some of the first human protein maps and databases. He has applied these methodologies to study bladder and breast cancer, comparing healthy and tumor cells to identify potential biomarkers.

Subsecretary of Higher Education Fernanda Valdés noted that Celis's work demonstrated that understanding cancer requires observing how proteins change during a disease, rather than focusing solely on genes. This approach is considered vital for precision medicine and diagnostics. Celis holds degrees from the University of Chile and the University of Iowa and has held significant academic positions in Chile, England, and Denmark.